Patent GB-924115-A (GB)
Title: Control system for change-speed gears
IPC: F16H47/08
Filed: 1961-11-22
Abstract: 924,115. Change-speed control. GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION. Nov. 22, 1961 Dec. 5, 1960], No. 41748/61. Addition to 863,815. Class 80 (2). Relates to a modification of the ratioestablishing pressure control valve 640, Fig. 1, shown in Fig. 7 of the parent Specification and opening to vent a pipe 425 to exhaust 648 during ratio shifts, the pipe 425 being connectible through shift valves 530, 570 to a ratio establishing clutch 48 and a ratio establishing brake 74, respectively. The pressure control valve consists of two pistons 641, 644 biased apart by a spring 647, the operation of the valve being modulated, by pressure in a pipe 90. According to the invention, the valve piston 644 moves in the valve-opening direction against a controlled oil pressure and against increasing spring bias, during establishment of a newly selected ratio, to obtain a cushioned engagement of the selected ratio establishing clutch &c. In the present construction, two springs 643a, 643b in series provide the increasing spring bias, replacing a single spring in the earlier form. As shown in Fig. 1, an oil pump 321 supplies oil through a main pressure control valve 341 to the pipe 425 and the shift valves 530, 570, controlled in dependence of vehicle speed and engine throttle (TV) position. The pipe 425 contains a restriction 424, connected on its downstream side to a flow control valve 465 actuated so that it alternately connects the pipe 90 to exhaust 803 or to pump pressure 395. Pump pressure 395 is also connected to the space containing the two springs 643a, 643b. On initiation of a ratio shift, the fall in pressure in the pipe 425 causes a pressure differential to be produced across the restriction 424, the flow control valve 465 vents the pipe 90 to exhaust 803, and oil in the space to the left of the valve piston 644 is vented through a ball valve 734, closed by the bias of a spring 733 in turn acted upon by TV pressure 408 energizing a servo piston 728. Pressure in the pipe 425 now slides both valve pistons 644, 641 leftwards against the bias of the springs 643a, 643b and against the controlled pressure of the oil in the space containing these springs, to vent the pipe 425 to exhaust 648. Oil pressure also passes through an orifice 649 in the valve pistons 641, and gradually separates the two valve pistons 641, 644. The exhaust passage 648 is thereby gently closed, as the springs 643a, 643b are further compressed, to provide gradual increase in pressure in the pipe 425, and cushioned engagement of the selected ratio establishing clutch or brake. Ultimately, the valve piston 644 moves as far leftwards as it is able. The spring 647 and the oil pressure in the space within the pistons 641 then move the latter rightwards to close the exhaust 648. Pressure in the pipe 475 increases to the value determined by the pressure control valve 341, and acts upon the flow control valve 465 which is moved to connect pump pressure 395 to the pipe 90. Oil pressure now acts rightwards upon the valve piston 644, rapidly restoring the position shown. In a modified form of ratio establishing pressure control valve 775, Fig. 2, TV modulation of the pressure acting upon one end of two valve pistons 776, 777 is dispensed with and is replaced by a system of two oppositely-acting one-way valves 797, 799 in the pipe 90, itself fed with pump pressure 395 or vented to exhaust 762 by a flow control valve 750. The two valve pistons 776, 777 are biased apart by a double spring 786 in a space to which oil is fed through a check valve 791, replacing the orifice 649, Fig. 1, in the piston 641. Two springs 779, Fig. 2, in series bias the valve piston 776 to shut-off the pipe 425 from exhaust 793, and provide cushioned engagement of the selected ratio establishing clutch or brake.